Thread cleaner



R. SHIPMAN THREAD CLEANER June 13, 1933.

Filed April 28, 1931 Patented June l3, 1933 UNETEE fi TAlES THREAD CLEANER Application. filed April 28,

This invention relates to improvements in devices for cleaning threads, yarns and the like, and has particular reference to a cleaner for removing knots, slugs, lumps, lint and foreign matter from the thread while the same is being wound on bobbins preparatory to use. As is well known in the textile art, it is desirable to remove all enlargements or foreign matter from the thread from which articles are to be manufactured so that enlargements or foreign matter will not cause imperfections in the finished article.

The cleaning of the thread heretofore has been done by running the thread through a slot within a lined plate, that is to say, the plate has no lateral movement. A disadvantage of a cleaning device of this kind is that when the porcelain guides on each side of the cleaner plate wear, as they will, the thread does not pass through the guides and cleaner plate in the same angle, which means after the wear has taken place, the thread will be dragged along one wall of the slot instead of directly through the middle of the slot. By dragging the thread on one side of the slot of the cleaner only, the thread is chafed and frayed, thus becoming weakened. Heretofore before a thread cleaner has started to operate, and constantly thereafter, the upper and lower guides and the plate cleaner have to be aligned so that the thread passes in a straight line from the guides through the center of the cleaner. As the machinery has to be stopped, this causes unnecessary delay. Wear on the upper and lower guides is emphasized when the thread is taken from the extreme end of one bobbin and deposited on the same end or the opposite end of the lower bobbin. In the one case the threat would tend to follow one side of the upper guide and the same side of the lower guide or in the other case, one side of the upper guide and the other side of the lower guide. To overcome the disadvantages spoken of above, I mount my cleaner plate so that the same can have lateral movement and align itself with the thread as the same passes between the two porcelain thread guides which are commonly used in a structure of this kind, even after the guides become worn, and even 1931. Serial No. 533,507.

though the direction of feed of the thread changes, as indicated above.

This invention also contemplates a series of cleaners arranged on an arc with means for looking a designated cleaner in position, but also allowing the thread cleaner locked in place to have lateral movement to adjust itself to the thread passing through it.

The invention also contemplates a thread cleaner proper formed by two pieces of tempered steel whose edges which form the walls of the cleaner groove have been ground to give a smoothdinish. I have found that a iar more perfect slot and finished cleaner plate can be made when two pieces of tempered steel whose edges form the slot have been previously ground, are brought together and riveted to a supporting plate the desired distance apart to form the groove cleaner proper; this is because it is impossible to mill or saw a slot that has microscopically smooth vertical walls in a piece of metal. It is of the utmost importance that the slot be smooth and vertical in respect to its mounting so that the thread is not chafed.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and the novel features defined by the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of the cleaner device constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the cleaner and guides therefor, shown in Figure 1, the same being shown partly in section.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a modified form of thread cleaner, having a number of cleaners of different gauge.

Figure 5 is a plan of one of the plates forming part of the slot of the cleaner of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section through two of the plates showing the mounting for the plates and the cleaner slot.

in Figure 1, the bracket 1 has the projections 2 and 3, by which the bracket and those parts supported by it are attached to a rod (not shown) supported by the. winding machine, by the screw 4. At the top and bottom of the bracket are threaded holes to receive the correspondingly threaded screws 5 and 6 to which are attached the upper and lower thread guides 7 and 8. The lock-nuts 9 and 10 hold the thread guides in the proper position so that they will not turn out of alignment. On the same side of the element 1, the thread guides 7 and 8 are attached, and about midway between is an arm or support 11, formed integrally with the bracket 1, hav ing a threaded hole therein to receive the machine screw 12. Mounted on top of the arm or support 11 by the machine screw 12, the forked plate 13 is held so that the same has lateral movement and can align itself with the upper and lower thread guides 7 and 8. This is accomplished by having an enlarged hole in the plate 13 for the shoulder 14 of the screw 12. The enlarged shoulder 14 prevents the screw 12 from being screwed so tight into the support 11 that the plate 13 and the thread cleaner carried thereon cannot align itself as pointed out above. On the back of the plate 13 adjacent the element 1, are the projections 15 which limit the lateral movement of the plate in both directions. WVhen the plate is moved in either direction to a certain degree, one of the projections 15 comes into contact with the element 1. I have found that this form of stop has the advantage in that the same is not affected by lint and foreign matter which accumulates adjacent the thread cleaner. On top of the forked plate 13 is held by the rivets 17 the two tempered steel plates 16, which have had their edges that form the thread cleaner groove previously ground. These plates are positioned so that the distance between them corresponds to the desired thickness wanted in the thread cleaner. The outer ends of these plates 16 are rounded and they slope inwardly so that they form guide surfaces 18 for the reception of the thread. In each of the plates 16 that form the thread cleaner towards the rear thereof is cut a V shaped notch so that when the two elements are brought together, the V shaped notches form a square 19 through which foreign matter that has been taken from the thread passes away from the thread cleaner.

In Figure 4, I show a modified structure in which I use a number of thread cleaners of different size or gauge mounted adjacent each other in the form of an are. There is the further distinction also that in this construction the arm or support 20 is forked, whereas the corresponding element in Figures l to 3 inclusive, is not forked. In the same figure, the plate 21 has the radial projection fingers 22, each of which support one of the cleaner plates 23 that forms onehalf of the thread cleaner. The members forming the thread cleaner are of different shape than that shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, in that they are cut with a contracted heel so that they can be grouped on an arc. Each plate 23 has therein a notch so that where two plates meet, a circular opening 28 is formed which has the same function as the opening 19 in Figure 1, through which foreign matter passes from the thread cleaner. Each plate has a diagonal piece cut from each outside corner, and when assembled these surfaces form V shaped notches which act as guide surfaces for the reception of the thread to be cleaned and also act as a limit or stop for the lateral movement of the thread cleaner. The upright projections 24 mounted on the ends of the forked support 20, limit the lateral movement of the combined thread cleaner. The upright projections 24 and the V shaped notch between adjacent thread surfaces corresponds to the bracket 1 and the projections 15 in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive. To prevent the unauthorized movement of one size cleaner for another, the group of thread cleaners are held to the forked support 20 by the machine screw 25 which has a special shaped head 26 for the reception of a wrench which is held only by a supervisor. t is to be noted that the series of thread cleaners shown in Figure 4 have markings 27 thereon which indicate the gauge of the cleaner. The markings hereon indicate one-thousandth of an inch although any other standard can be used.

As my invention is limited primarily to the shape of the cleaner plate and its mounting, it is possible to apply my invention to the thread cleaners now on the market by placing on those thread cleaners a proper support for my invention.

What is claimed is 1. In a thread cleaner comprising thread guides, plates of hardened steel assembled in an arc with different distances between the several plates, with means for permitting, but limiting the lateral movement of the plates with the thread passing therethrough.

2. In a thread cleaner comprising thread guides, plates assembled in an arc with different distances between the several plates with means for allowing the plates through which thread is passing to have lateral movement with the thread and means for locking the thread cleaner so that only those plates operatively positioned can operate on the thread.

3. In a thread cleaner, comprising a forked arm, a plate pivotally mounted on said arm, with plates assembled in an are on said plate with different distances between the several plates to form cleaner grooves of different gauge, the ends of the several plates being cut at an angle so that adjacent plates form V shaped notches leading to the cleaner grooves and a projection on the end of each fork of the arm to engage the V shaped notches formed by the several plates, said projections limiting the lateral movement of the thread cleaner.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

RALPH SHIPMAN. 

